A Heart of Ash
by RubyRed3003
Summary: Ashkit was happy. She really was. But one thing made her life change. She became colder, stronger, braver; she became what she was. But between death haunting all the cats she loves, the mystery concerning her Clan leader, or a plot threatening her Clan, Ashheart needs to realize that she can set this right. That she can be the warrior she was always meant to be.
1. Allegiances and Prologue

**Leader :** Froststar- white she-cat with light blue eyes.

 **Deputy:** Flowerwind- pale brown and black tabby she-cat with pale green eyes.

 **Medicine cat:** Mousefang- light brown tom with green eyes.

 **Warriors:**

Ravenclaw- black tom with light blue eyes.

Sunfern- pale golden she-cat with darker stripes and amber eyes.

Owlflight- gray tabby tom with amber eyes.

Shadowpelt- dark tortoiseshell tom with pale amber eyes.

Swiftnose- light ginger she-cat with amber eyes.

Rosebreeze- cream she-cat with gray eyes.

Thornfeather- golden brown tom with spiky fur and yellow eyes.

Alderfrost- white speckled light gray she-cat with bright yellowish orange eyes

 **Apprentice: Swallowpaw**

Shimmerpool- pale, golden looking ginger she-cat with sky blue eyes.

Barkshadow- dark brown tom with dark yellow eyes.

Aspenskip- cream and pale gray tom with electric blue eyes.

Brackenpelt- tawny tom with bright green eyes.

 **Apprentice: Sweetpaw**

Silverdawn- light silver she-cat with copper blue eyes.

Sparrowcloud- pale brown tabby she-cat with white paws, tail and dark gray eyes.

Jackdawfur- dark gray tom with pale blue eyes.

Dusttail- light gray, white and dark gray tom with a brown tail and pale golden eyes.

 **Apprentice: Badgerpaw**

 **Apprentices:**

Sweetpaw- tortoiseshell she-cat with dark hazel eyes.

Badgerpaw- black and white tom with long claws and light amber eyes.

Swallowpaw- black and white she-cat with light amber eyes.

 **Queens:**

Rainfall- slender pale blue-gray she-cat with dark blue eyes. Mother to Ashkit. (Jackdawfur)

Russetwing- dark ginger she-cat with dark green eyes. Mother to Stonekit, Blackkit, Snowkit and Gingerkit. (Ravenclaw)

 **Kits:**

Ashkit- small very dark gray she-cat with dark blue eyes.

Stonekit- pale gray tom with white patches and dark green eyes.

Blackkit- black tom with ice blue eyes.

Gingerkit- dark red she-cat with dark green eyes.

Snowkit- white she-cat with dark golden eyes.

 **Elders:**

Pebblefoot- gray footed black tom with faint green eyes.

Larkspring- ginger tabby she-cat with light blue eyes.

* * *

'Mousefang!'

A blue-gray she-cat peered in the crack which served as entrance to the medicine cat's den, moonlight raining on her back. Her blue eyes, not much different from the inky blue sky towering over her, glistened, filled to the brim with joy.

Sighing, a brown tom came to greet her.

'Rainfall, you know that I _am_ busy, right? What do you want?' he said wearily.

Rainfall looked at him with indifference. As if Mousefang wasn't the crankiest cat in the Clan.

Realizing that Mousefang was staring at her impatiently, she quickly regained her overjoyed demeanor.

'Jackdawfur and I are expecting kits! Isn't it great? It's my first litter ever, though, I'm a little apprehensive.' she meowed.

'Well, actually,' Mousefang replied, 'It might be your last as well.'

Rainfall felt her happiness slowly being crushed by dread.

'But, I've been getting better since… last time.' She gritted her teeth, remembering the cold shudders and the bitter panic that had overcome her normally calm self.

'Rainfall, I watched you struggle more than any other time in your life in your last relapse. The truth is you barely scrapped through, you barely made it back to life. Do you really think your kits will even live to remember you, their mother?'

'Why do you care?' Rainfall put her chin up.

'Don't tell me you never dreamed of having kits, because I know you did. I should know, otherwise I wouldn't be your best friend.'

'I can't lie to myself anymore. I know. I know I'm going to die. Rowanwhisker told me.'

'Then don't waste my time telling me that.'

'Thanks for being very welcoming, _Mousefang_. Whatever. Thanks a lot.'

'I did not mean that.' The brown tom flinched, watching Rainfall's anger starting to dominate her.

'Then why did you say it? Oh yeah, you were just speaking your mind. How proud would be your father?' The blue-gray she-cat spat in the face of her best friend. Mousefang felt all his bottled annoyance for the past week starting to come out.

'Maybe I was!' he sneered, giving his companion a scornful grin.

Rainfall looked at her best friend. Hurt shined in her eyes, but she just bristled, not forgetting to whip the medicine cat's face with her tail before running out of the dark den, stealthily running to the nursery where she now resided. She curled on her nest and fell into a welcomed slumber.

The queen woke up to a bright sun. She brightened up, then recalled the events that had happened the former night. She walked outside and started grooming her thick fur. Suddenly, Rainfall felt painful claws grip her heart. Her heartbeats drummed faster and faster against her chest, and panic washed over her. She barely registered cats starting to come over to her as she collapsed to the ground. Her head thudded on the soft soil as black began to eat away the edges of her vision. The last thing she saw was a certain medicine cat's fearful, anxious leaf green eyes before sinking into unconsciousness.


	2. The Beginning

When Ashkit gained consciousness, cold air pricked her sides cruelly. She shivered weakly, desperately trying to warm up. She couldn't see anything except black. A low buzzing started to occupy her ears, making her squirm a bit. A nice scent filled her nose, apparently coming from the huge lump that curled around her; it had maybe felt her shiver, because it pressed hard against Ashkit's body. Instinctively, Ashkit knew this was her mother, and it looked like she had no brothers or sisters, otherwise they would have been pressing her side or something. She tried to open her eyes, to see what her mother looked like, but she felt her strength melt away and gave in to sleep.

'I hope she'll remember me.'

'Of course she will.'

Over the days, Ashkit heard her mother, Rainfall, telling her stories. She heard some things about the Clans, the warrior code, her Clan, ThunderClan, the leaders and deputies, and legends.

Ashkit was roused from her sleep as a soft, small thing nuzzled her flank.

'Ashkit. Please wake up. Please open your eyes. Do you know how long it's been since I first saw you? Half and a quarter of a moon. Show me what you are like.'

Ashkit wished with all her heart she could open her eyes for her mother. She put all of her precarious strength into it. And slowly but surely, light entered, breaking through the darkness. And finally, she opened her eyes, not without pain. As she blinked, trying to get the annoying, blinding white light out of her eyes. As soon as it did, she gasped.

 _It's huge!_

She looked around, where she knew her mother would be. Rainfall's eyes were lost in the distance by then, seeing as she had taken some moments to try to tear her eyes open. They were dark blue, a dreamy, beautiful color. A thin, but glossy blue-gray coat hanged on her, showing her ribs a bit. She had a narrow face; an elegant, narrow muzzle with angular cheekbones and jawline. Her underbelly was paler than her fur, but Ashkit saw faint white splotches on her chest and her ears. A long, plumy tail was curled around her, soft but strong, and also very long, like her legs. Ashkit froze in awe of her beauty.

 _Rainfall is beautiful_! _I wonder if I look like her?_

She looked at her pelt. It was of a very dark gray, without a spot of another colour, and looking a bit dull. She glanced at her legs; they were short, and stumpy. Weirdly, they were outgrown by her long, plumy tail.

 _At least I have her tail._

Ashkit hopped silently over her mother's tail, but before she could do anything, a soft paw dragged her back into the warm moss. She meowed in annoyance, trying to shrug it off. She turned to face the one who tried to hold her back; her mother.

'You woke up!'

Rainfall's eyes glowed with happiness. She pulled closer to her mother, huddling close to the soft fur.

'Ashkit, you have beautiful eyes.' she whispered, her breath warm on her face.

'Really?' Ashkit meowed, doubtful. She saw her mother's grin stretch further, and nod. Ashkit looked over to the nursery's entrance, where she could see outlines of cats moving around the camp.

'I can see that you want to explore our camp. Go on, and have fun!'

'I can?'

'I said so, come on, go meet the Clan.' Rainfall pulled back from her. Ashkit felt her mother push her towards the entrance. Excitement coursed through her heart as she ran to the exit. 'Wow, it's gigantic!'

Piles of white fluffy stuff covered the ground. Ashkit wrinkled her nose as she felt some of it melt on her pads.

'Mother, what's that ?' she asked, annoyed because her paws felt like they were blocks of ice.

'That's snow. It fall in leaf-bare, and sometimes in leaf-fall. It's cold and it floats from ther sky. Try to not fall into it.' Rainfall smiled at her, her blue eyes thoghtful, and burried her head in her flank, closing her eyes.

She took a few steps outside, only to fall into snow. Ashkit growled in annoyance and tried to move her stuck paws.

'This has to happen to me now!'

Ashkit heaved a sigh. Her head was the only thing that was not drowned in layers of soft snow. A snowflake entered her nose as she wriggled, trying to get out. Ashkit sneezed, before feeling a surge of anger at fate. She was about to give up when she felt teeth tugging on her loose neck skin, picking her up, then dropping her on the ground.

 _Thank you, whoever you are!_

'Got stuck in snow on your first day out?' She turned around to see a big tortoiseshell she-cat, her dark amber eyes full of laughter. Ashkit felt hot shame and annoyance go up in her.

'Isn't it obvious?' she snapped, pointing at her fur full of heavy snow. She felt a jolt of smugness when the she-cat's eyes widened in shock.

 _I bet my fur she thought that a kit could only be be soft and innocent. I'm not, so what?_

She shivered; having cold snow on you in winter is not the best thing to do.

'Well, what are you going to laugh at me for this time?' Ashkit rolled her eyes, then stared questioningly at the tortoiseshell, still surprised. The she-cat shook awake, then replied:

'Nothing, why? I'm sorry, okay? My name's Sweetpaw, and you?'

'To answer you questions; one, fine, two, fine, three, Ashkit. Sorry, I was annoyed.' Ashkit apologized, feeling a bit guilty.

'Nevermind, it's not like I'm not used to it. You should hear the elders, they're ten times worse.'

'Oh, okay!'

'Do you want me to show you around?' the tortoiseshell asked. Ashkit raised her eyebrows, then felt a hint of arrogance.

'No thanks, I can do it myself.'

A yowl interrupted their conversation as a tawny tom waved his tail impatiently at Sweetpaw.

'Sorry, I have to go! See you soon!' The tortoiseshell raced to the tom. Ashkit watched them leave longingly. She looked at the High Rock.

 _It must be wonderful to feel the wind swoosh over you each time you go up there! And having all the Clan looking up to you, and making all the decisions. It might be interesting to be leader, I want to do that!_

At its foot, a curtain of lichen sheltered a slightly visible hole. Ashkit padded silently to it, then glanced inside. A white, slender she-cat was breathing loudly as she slept. Her eyelids twitched, and a sliver of light blue peered from under them. She shuddered, then rolled over.

'That must be Froststar.' she muttered to herself.

Ashkit slowly took a few steps back, pawed some snow off her fur in an attempt to keep warm and crept to a partly sheltered den where comfortable looking moss nests were littered. Next to it was a smaller, but similar den. A black and white tom was nonchalantly pawing out snow and piling them on each other in front of the smaller den. He puffed, and almost transparent clouds escaped his mouth. A gray tabby tom walked to him, his tail lashing, and started scolding him. Ashkit strained to hear what he was saying, and caught snippets of the conversation. Guilt surged again in the pit of her belly; she knew she was eavesdropping, and that that wasn't necessarily polite, but the curiosity gnawing in her demanded to be satisfied.

'Dusttail waited for you all morning!'… 'As an apprentice, you should know you have to obey your mentor.'… 'Go collect moss.'…

The apprentice whispered something, and the tom looked furious.

Ashkit looked away, knowing their conversation was about to get heated. She quickly analyzed where the elder's den and the medicine cat's den were. She tore some snow out of her fur again and looked at the sun. It was almost going to set. She wrinkled her nose at her slightly wet fur, and smoothed it a bit.

 _Wow, I really woke up late, didn't I?_

 _'_ Who are you?'

Ashkit shook herself to get herself out of her daydream, then regretted it as her 'smoothed' fur became bushy again. In front of her was a much bigger black tom. His icy blue eyes bore themselves into hers as she raised her head slightly. His striking features made something stir in the darkest, deepest pit of her stomach but she ignored it. It faded. Ashkit focused on answering his question.

'I am Ashkit. And you?'

'Blackkit. No questions on why I was named like that!' he joked, poking her playfully. 'Hey, do you want to meet my littermates? They're over there by the fresh-kill pile.'

'Okay!'

'So… How old are you?'

'A half and a quarter of a moon.'

'I'm exactly the exactly same age…'

'So what? Is it because I'm small that you thought I was younger than you?'

They stared at each other awkwardly. Ashkit felt her ears hot with embarrassment as Blackkit's gaze cut into her's. She lifted her head again proudly, trying to forget about her embarrassment, meeting his eyes, then smirked.

'Race you to them!'

Ashkit urged her legs to go faster as Blackkit ran off. She gritted her teeth, then felt her muscles straining. Suddenly, Blackkit stopped. Ashkit was surprised. She flopped down on the ground.

'I beat you.' Blackkit meowed smugly. Ashkit felt faint anger.

 _I'm winning next time! But for now…_

She stuck her paw out. Blackkit tripped and clumsily crashed into a gray tom. Ashkit felt deep satisfaction roar in her chest.

'Oooops, I didn't see you,' Ashkit said, her voice coated with honey, an innocent look plastered on her face, 'Are you okay?'

Blackkit glared at her, his gaze steely.

Ashkit purred, then looked at the four kits, including the gray tom who was picking himself off the ground.

The first was a dark red she-cat with beautiful emerald eyes. Her thin frame looked almost frail, and she had long, slim legs for a kit. Her features were all equally proportioned and sharp, making her face noticeable and pretty.

The second was a pale gray tom with creamy white patches with forest green eyes, and while Blackkit had a slim, narrow build, his shoulders were broad and strong looking. He had a flat, broad face, and dark tufts of fur tipped his ears. He was, what was called, handsome.

 _I could barely reach his shoulders!_

The last one was a pure, snowy white she-cat with dark golden eyes. She had defined, but soft traits. Her face was between narrow and broad, and her fur looked glossy and thick, without a speck of snow on it, but not that it could be seen anyway. She had normal-sized legs, but they looked strong and made to run. Something about her made Ashkit frown mentally, awaking some doubts, but she pushed it away.

'Hi, I'm Ashkit!'

The white she-cat squealed.

'Yes, you finally opened your eyes! We're going to be best friends! I'm Snowkit, this is Gingerkit,' Snowkit pointed the ginger she-kit with her long tail, 'And this is Stonekit.' She poked the gray tom with her tail. 'Pretty obvious names, right?'

Ashkit smiled. She already loved Snowkit's outgoing personality, so different from hers.

'So, what do we do know?' Stonekit asked. Ashkit shrugged.

'What about Cat and Mouse?' Blackkit proposed hopefully.

Ashkit opened her mouth, only to notice that the sky had turned dark orange. She looked at Blackkit instead and said, 'Race you to the nursery!'

She raced as fast as she could to the nursery. She skidded into it, and observed that Blackkit had not arrived yet. Her chest constricted painfully as she regained her breath, and she let her tail flop down and her muscles relax. Blackkit collapsed on the soft soil a few seconds later, with Snowkit then Stonekit falling on him as he was blocking the entrance. Ashkit laughed loudly as the black tom wheezed heavily. She dragged herself to him, and meowed:

'I won.'

She washed the snow out of her fur, making it soft and shiny, and watched her new friends, including her frennemy, go to sleep. She looked at Rainfall, and saw pride lighting her mother's gaze as purred quietly.

Feeling the satisfaction she had felt earlier, she curled at her mother's belly and felt Rainfall pull her closer to her belly fur as she fell in sleep.


	3. Breaking

Ashkit observed her fur lazily. Sunlight dappled some spots, making the fur located there look like a normal dark gray colour, instead of her black tinged version. She sighed impatiently, itching for her paws to move, but they stayed still as the flat rock that she lay on.

A shiver travelled down her spine as she stretched luxuriously, feeling every muscle in her body quiver, the edge of her sheathed claws making the rock screech. She looked at the clearing around her where sunlight was littered everywhere, since it was now in new-leaf. She almost smiled as she remembered her cold and small **er** self, aged only about half a moon, licking cold powder of her fur. She was now two moon and a half, but still not as tall as she was supposed to be. It annoyed her to no end that Stonekit had to bend his head slightly to talk to her.

Ashkit looked at her best friend. Coincidently, Snowkit raised her head, meeting her gaze. Her golden gaze, resembling puddles of melted sunlight, shimmering with energy, brightened even more as they met Ashkit's.

 _How is she that happy and bouncy and so… Snowkit all the time?_

'Ashkit! Want to play moss ball with me?'

Ashkit purred loudly, and felt a hint of mischief invading her mind. She shifted her paws instinctively in a parallel position, and bent down, feeling her hind quarters rise high, and leaped sloppily on Snowkit's shoulders. The white she-cat squealed, her shrill squeak ringing in Ashkit's ears. Ashkit scrambled for a grip in her friend's slick fur as Snowkit started to trash around, then tried unsuccessfully to roll over. Ashkit snickered as Snowkit's paws slipped in the dust, making her lose her footing.

'You're so fat!' she yelped loudly.

'No, I'm not! You're so clumsy!'

Ashkit heaved her paws on Snowkit's back and she collapsed, panting. The gray she-cat hopped off her best friend, and she laughed.

'You look like the spider I killed earlier.' Snowkit scoffed, and sprang up, brushing off brown dust off her messy fur.

'Hey! You little…'

'Little?' Ashkit teased.

'Little scrawny bird?' Snowkit stuttered, her voice trembling from trying not to laugh.

'That's the worst thing I have ever been called,' Ashkit fell over-dramatically, 'You break my heart!'

They looked at each other, and simultaneously started laughing hysterically. Ashkit felt a burst of affection for her, overwhelming her mind and heart. Tremors shook her body violently as tears welled up in her pupils from laughing too much. Her laughter stopped abruptly as hiccups shook her with similar violence as her laughter's. Snowkit stared at her weirdly as Ashkit felt her chest constrict tightly in between gulps of air.

'Hello, Snowkit to Ashkit? Stop hiccupping, everybody is staring at you!'

Ashkit took a brief look around her, and noticed everyone in the camp taking looks at her.

'Sorry.' She whispered, her ears hot with shame.

'Kits those days,' some cat muttered, 'They're so annoying.'

Ashkit gritted her teeth, avoiding Rainfall's gaze as she trotted over to her daughter. Her mother sighed.

'Ashkit, don't laugh so loud; I think RiverClan heard you from here. We will probably get complaints from Lakestar at the gathering.' Rainfall scolded, amused by her daughter's behaviour. Ashkit bowed her head, and glanced desperately at Snowkit.

 _Help me, Snowkit!_

Snowkit eyed her, clueless, before she seemed to register what Ashkit was trying to say.

'Rainfall, I laughed too. It's also my fault.' The pristine-coated kit apologized. Russetwing smiled disapprovingly as she came to Rainfall's side.

'You're just like sisters, the both of you.' The dark ginger queen purred gently. An emotion Ashkit didn't recognize flashed in the queen's dark green eyes as she looked at Snowkit.

'Russetwing, I know,' Snowkit whined, 'Can I go now? Can _we_ go, Rainfall? Please? Stonekit said her found a huge bit of moss to make the mossball for our game!'

'Well, go along, then!' Rainfall smiled warmly at Ashkit. As she passed by, Rainfall put her muzzle close to Ashkit's ear.

'Next time, laugh louder. I love seeing Mousefang annoyed.' Rainfall said, her voice barely above a whisper. Startled by her mother's sudden mischievous mood, she turned to reply, but Rainfall was already padding to the nursery, Russetwing by her side.

 _What just happened?_

'Okay, let's go!' Snowkit shouted, dragging the 'go' imploringly.

'My ears! You shout so loud, compared to that me laughing is like a mouse walking on moss!' Ashkit shoved her playfully, ears still ringing from Snowkit's call. Snowkit pounced on her, and Ashkit jumped, belly flopping straight on her spine. Suddenly, Ashkit felt a tug at the back of her neck, pulling her away from her fight with Snowkit.

'Hey!' She protested, moving frantically to try to free herself from the jaws that held her tight. They let her go gently and Ashkit fell ungracefully on the hard soil. She whipped around, only to find a pair of pale blue eyes, rimmed with yellowish green staring at her. Solid dark gray fur shone dully, white light flowing in streams from the neck down.

'Jackdawfur?' Ashkit murmured. She straightened herself hastily, and squeezed her paws neatly. She licked a stray tuft on her shoulder, craning her neck to reach it.

'Ashkit. How are you today, my little warrior?' His short tail ruffled her fur affectionately.

'I'm okay.' Ashkit meowed, her voice uncertain. She cringed mentally, feeling embarrassment flood her mind.

 _What is wrong with me? This cat is my father!_

'So, how about I teach you and Snowkit how to fight as a pair?'

'But… Aren't you supposed to go in patrol? Can I and Snowkit go with you instead?' Ashkit asked, feeling her eyes widen with excitement.

'No. Kits aren't allowed to go out of the Clan.' Jackdawfur meowed sternly. Ashkit nodded guiltily, shuffling her paws. Her ears twitched as she heard Snowkit shaking dust off her fur for the second time.

'Sorry, I forgot. I apologize, Jackdawfur.'

 _This is the_ _ **greatest**_ _way to impress your father! Great job, Ashkit!_

'So, do you still want to practice some fighting …' Irked, Ashkit opened her jaws quickly before Snowkit could.

'Sorry, Jackdawfur, but me and Snowkit have to go somewhere. Goodbye, see you later!'

Ashkit saw hurt shining in her father's pale blue eyes, their pupils wide with disappointment, and turned her head away, her insides squirming with a strange feeling. It felt like something between sadness and guilt. She swallowed the uncomfortable thing back, and, shoulders raised, scampered after Snowkit. She slowed down as she entered a forest of fast moving multicoloured legs.

'Can you move?' She grumbled, seeing Snowkit's pristine pelt move away more and more. She pushed through forcefully, sighing silently as her inefficient shoulders were almost pushed back as she weaved through the cats' legs. Finally, she burst out of the frenzied crowd.

'Over here, Ashkit!' Snowkit waved her long, fluffy tail at where she was sitting with Stonekit, Gingerkit, and Blackkit.

'I'm coming.' She walked to where Snowkit was and sat down, neatly tucking her hindquarters on either sides of her stomach.

'So, are we playing mossball today? She enquired, seeing no mossball in sight.

'No, because this stupid mousebrain,' Gingerkit narrowed her eyes to green slits, glaring at Stonekit, who shrank back a little, 'Accidentally jumped on it while practicing hunting and made it explode. On me! I spent ages trying to get all the little moss fibers off me!' Ashkit took one look at her friend's angry face, then erupted into laughter as Snowkit meowed:

'Where did you learn that language, you little squirrel?'

'Stop laughing! It's not funny!' Gingerkit pouted. Ashkit fell from her sitting position as she laughed, with no sound coming out of her mouth. At the corner of her eye, she saw Snowkit, Stonekit and Blackkit rolling around in the dust. Gingerkit frowned, then followed them into their laughing fit.

'Okay, can we play now?' Gingerkit coughed, her voice wheezy from laughing too much.

'Let's play… Clan War!' Stonekit proposed, his voice weak from air deprivation.

'Okay! Call a Clan. I call ThuderClan!' Ashkit smirked at her friends as they glowered at her for taking ThunderClan.

'That's so unfair. Fine. I call RiverClan.' Snowkit moaned.

'You're a fat fish-breath now!,' Stonekit chirped, 'I choose ShadowClan.'

'You're a smelly toad-eater now.' Snowkit fired back.

'My turn, my turn! I choose WindClan, the weakest good-for-nothing Clan in all Clans, I'm so proud.' Blackkit sighed sarcastically. He glanced at Stonekit, expecting him to meow something, but Stonekit must have gotten a hint about not annoying Blackkit any more.

'Wasn't there a Clan called SkyClan? The elders said they left a few seasons ago, but they're still a Clan, so I call SkyClan.' Gingerkit blabbed on.

'Okay, let's start!'

Ashkit grinned as she remembered her first game of Clan War.

 _It was a complete disaster._

'ThunderClan found traces of ShadowCan inside their borders again this moon! What do you have to say, Stonestar?'

'No ShadowClan warrior has been on your puny territory, Ashstar, you lying squirrel!'

'How dare you?'

'Let's put this right this instant!'

Snowkit walked in the middle of Ashkit and Stonekit.

'Let the battle begin!' The snowy pelted kit announced, and stepped back.

'ThunderClan, attack!' Ashkit screeched.

'ShadowClan, attack!' Stonekit lunged at her. Ashkit stepped aside, and leaped as he met the floor. She let out a squeak as Stonekit shook her off of his back, and ran to pounce on his tail. Stonekit yelped, and whipped around. Ashkit nipped his ear as she passed him, and trusting her instincts, pushed his nose in the soil. He sneezed, and Ashkit lunged at him, as he was unbalanced, and he collapsed on his side.

'One… Two… Three… Four… Five. ShadowClan retreats. ThunderClan, or Ashstar, wins!'

'Stonekit, I won this time. I took my revenge on you from last time.' Ashkit snickered, seeing her friend looking slightly disgruntled.

'Next.' Blackkit meowed.

'SkyClan saw your warriors hunting on our territory, Snowstar!'

'Gingerstar, none of my cats crossed over the border. I think you must be going blind, or you're just plainly stupid.'

'Let the battle begin!' Ashkit exclaimed, and stepped back to let "Snowstar" and "Gingerstar" have some space. As she sat down again to watch the fight, she heard ablood-curdling scream. Snowkit, Gingerkit, Blackkit, and Stonekit turned around to where the sound was from. Ashkit, however, froze where she was. That voice, she would know anywhere. That voice.

That voice was Rainfall's.


End file.
